Apparatus for continuously chamoising halves

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for continuously chamoising hides comprising two pressure rollers or cylinders one above the other, each of which is encompassed by a felt band tensioned by a tensioning cylinder. The upper felt band extends in the vertical direction, and the lower felt band extends in the horizontal direction. A feeding string conveyor introduces the hide between the chamoising cylinders. A moistening and washing device is provided within the space defined by the felt bands, there being stops limiting the approach of both chamoising cylinders if no hide is between these cylinders.

llnited States Patent [1 1 Prosecky et al.

[ Dec. 24, 1974 [22] Filed:

[ APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CHAMOISING HALVES [76] Inventors: Jaroslav Prosecky, No. 2 Vodni;

Lubomir Srda, 109 Hlub'cicka, both of Krnov, Czechoslovakia Sept. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 396,613

[52] US. Cl 69/32, 69/42, 69/41 [51] Int. Cl. Cl4c 13/00 [58] Field of Search 69/41, 43, 29, 32; 100/168; 118/257 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Richter et al. 69/41 Rizzo 118/257 X Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for continuously chamoising hides comprising two pressure rollers or cylinders one above the other, each of which is encompassed by u tell hand tensioned by a tensioning cylinder. The upper lclt band extends in the vertical direction, and the lower felt band extends in the horizontal direction. A feeding string conveyor introduces the hide between the chamoising cylinders. A moistening and washing device is provided within the space defined by the felt bands, there being stops limiting the approach of both chamoising cylinders if no hide is between these cylinders.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEB B 3.855.823

sum 1 or z I PATENTED [1EB24 I974 sum 2 or g WAIS;

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CHAMOISING HALVES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous chamoising of hides, particularly of halves of cow hides.

For chamoising of hides, chamoising machines with rollers or cylinders and with a distributing knife cylinder operating in a reciprocative cycle are generally used, i.e., after chamoising one-half of the hide, the hide is repeatedly introduced into the machine to work its second half. This method is rather demanding and troublesome and in addition is not fully safe.

Continuously operating machines with cylinders, with a covering of the chamoising cylinders composed of felt hoses, cloth or cables from different materials such as felt, jute, plastics and the like are also used. The hide is introduced into these machines between the chamoising cylinders by feeding conveyors, where they are drained and leave the machine by way of a rear discharge conveyor. A drawback of these machines is the short operating life of the covering of the chamoising cylinders, an imperfect passage of the hide through the machine, particularly of thinner upper hides of complex shape causing overlappings which result in an inferior quality of the chamoising.

There are, furthermore, continuously operating cylinder chamoising machines with two endless felt bands encompassing the chamoising cylinders. The hide is placed on the lower felt band which introduces it between the chamoising cylinders, where it is drained. It leaves the machine by way of a discharge conveyor, from which it is removed. A drawback of these machines is the short operating life of the felt bands, which are quickly worn, as they are exposed to pressure even if no hide is between the chamosing cylinders. A bad adaptation of the felt bands to the cylinders and a variable humidity and irregular shape of the hides cause an unequal tension of the felt band. Another drawback of these machines is the imperfect passage of the hides through the machine as the hide is placed on the lower felt band, which also has the task of a feeding conveyor whereby the hide forms wrinkles in front of the chamoising zone, causing overlapped parts resulting in an inferior quality of chamoising. An imperfect passage of the hide through the machine is also caused in the course of the take-over of the hide by the discharge conveyor. The hide remains sticking to the chamoising cylinder, and must be removed by wedgesor by some other tool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for the chamoising of hides which effectively removes the surplus water from the hides without causing wrinkled places of the hides, which also spares the felt bands by preventing their unequal stress in the course of operation and permitting their easy maintenance and replacement.

The apparatus according to this invention comprises two pressure rollers or cylinders, with an endless felt band, tensioned by a tensioning roller, encompassing each chamoising cylinder, the upper felt band being tensioned in the vertical direction, the lower felt band being tensioned in the horizontal direction, the lower felt band being adapted to operate as a discharge conveyor of the treated hide, a moistening and washing unit being provided inside the spaces between the chamoising rollers and tensioning rollers enclosed by the felt bands.

The apparatus according to this invention permits the employment of the known method of feeding the hide between the chamoising cylinders by means of a feeding string conveyor, the speed of which is lower than that of the chamoising cylinders, thus eliminating the already mentioned wrinkling of the hide in front of the chamoising zone. The use of a feeding string conveyor comprising a number of independent endless bands of, for instance, polyamide with a low friction coefficient influences rather favorably the passage of hides through the machine and eliminates the difference of speeds of the feeding conveyor and of the chamoising cylinders after seizure of the hide by these cylinders, where it is drained. A better spreading and levelling of the hide is thus obtained; from the technological point of view this is of high importance for the subsequent treatment of hides. The arrangement of the lower felt band as a discharge conveyor secures a perfect passage of the hide through the machine. The drained hide leaves the machine by way of the lower felt band, from which it is then removed.

The drawback of the short operating life of felt bands in prior chamoising apparatus is also eliminated by the multi-purpose moistening and washing unit, such unit serving not only for the current maintenance of the felt bands but also being provided with a section for the continuous moistening of the borders of the felt bands in the course of operation of the machine in order to equalize the stress in the felt bands which is generated because of the non-uniform moisture content and irregular shape of the hides. The operating life of the felt bands is also increased by the device for sparing the felt bands, such device limiting the movement of the lower chamoising cylinder with respect to the upper one when there is no hide between the two chamoising cylinders, In practice, the bearing bodies of the lower chamoising cylinder rest with their full pressure against stops, and thus the felt bands are released from compression.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further advantages of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the chamoising apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the washing and moistening device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The chamoising cylinders or rollers 1, 2 are supported by bearing bodies 3, 4, the upper chamoising cylinder 1 being firmly supported in the side walls of the machine, the lower chamoising cylinder 2 being slidably in guides 5 and being urged against the upper chamoising cylinder 1 by hydraulic cylinders 6. Endless felt bands 7 and 8, tensioned by tensioning rollers or cylinders 9, 10 encompass the chamoising cylinders 1 and 2, respectively. The lower felt band 8 acts simultaneously as a discharge conveyor. Both chamoising cylinders l and 2 are driven by means of a chain (not shown) by way of a variable speed gear box with continuously variable speed (PIV). The bearing bodies 3 and 4 are mounted on the side opposite to the drive for the easy removal and exchange of the felt bands. A feeding band or string conveyor is supported on a frame 11. It is composed of a number of independent endless bands 12 with low friction coefficient, the bands passing over a tensioning drum 13 and a feeding drum 14 close to a table 15 made of corrosion resistant material. The conveyor is provided with two driving drums l6 and 17 driven by means of chains (not shown) from the main drive. The speed v, of the feeding conveyor is lower than the circumferential speed v of the chamoising cylinders. The feeding drum 14 has a small diameter in order to be capable of being placed as close as possible to the nip of the chamoising cylinders 1,2. The conveyor can be adjusted both in the vertical and horizontal direction in order to place the feeding drum into an optimum position for the correct introduction of the hide into the chamoising space. The feeding conveyor can be shifted aside from the machine and turned around the bolt 18, when necessary, in case of maintenance or disassembling.

A multi-purpose moistening and washing unit 19, 20 is provided in the space between the chamoising cylinders l, 2 and the tensioning cylinders 9, 10. Each of units 19, 20 comprises a washing section 21, 21', respectively, connected to a supply of hot and cold water and a section 22, 22, respectively, for the continuous moistening of borders of the felt bands connected to the cold water supply. Each of the sections 21, 21' is in the form of a pipe extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rollers 1,2, each of such pipes 21, 21' having a series of holes 27, 27 respectively, spaced there along throughout its length. Each of the sections 22, 22' is in the form of a pipe parallel to the pipes 21,

21', respectively, and spaced therefrom, there being holes 28, 28' spaced along the length of the pipes 22, 22 only along the opposite edges thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. The systems 21, 21 are employed during the washing of the hides, and the systems 22, 22' are employed during the wringing of the hides.

A device for sparing the felt bands in the course of the time interval, when no hide is between the chamoising cylinders is situated on the bearing bodies 3 of the upper chamoising cylinder 1. It comprises a body 23 with a screwed-in bolt 24 with a gear which is controlled and adjustable by a worm 26 on a prolonged shaft to which a hand wheel (not shown) is fixed. As shown in FIG. 1, the body 23 is affixed to one of the bearing bodies 3 of the upper chamoising cylinder 1, the bolt 24 being screwed into the body 23. Turning of the bolt 24 in an appropriate direction by means of the worm 26 and the worm wheel alters the minimum distance of approach of the rollers l and 2 in the absence of a hide therebetween.

In the course of operation, the cow hide half is placed on the feeding conveyor in its whole width with the back side, the but being positioned in front. The feeding conveyor introduces the hide between the chamoising cylinders where it is drained. The chamoising is accomplished by means of the felt bands encompassing the chamoising cylinders. The chamoising pressure is generated by means of hydraulic cylinders by pressure oil from a hydraulic pressure unit which feeds oil at an automatically maintained pressure. The drained hide leaves the machine over the lower felt band, from which it is subsequently removed. The improved quality of chamoising is particularly evident in the draining of the hide to a residual moisture of 50 to 62 percent of water after prior processing. It is also shown in a straightening of the hide by the elimination of wrinkles, thus enabling further processing of the hide on wide, high efficiency rolling machines. The operating costs for chamoising the hides are reduced due to the simple construction of the apparatus, its easy and safe attendance, and the easy maintenance and quick replacement of the felt bands. The operating life of the felt bands is high, due to the use of the device for sparing the felt bands and the use of moistening and washing unit. It is to be understood that the expression felt band as used in the specification and claims includes a band having properties similar to a felt band.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a preferred embodiment, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously chamoising hides, comprising two chamoising rollers one above the other driven in opposite directions and forming a nip therebetween, means for generating pressure between said rollers, an endless felt band encompassing each respective chamoising roller, a tensioning roller for tensioning each felt band, one of said bands being an upper felt band tensioned in the vertical direction, the other of said bands being a lower felt band tensioned in the horizontal direction, a feeding band conveyor having a surface speed lower than the circumferential speed of the chamoising rollers provided close to the nip of the chamoising rollers, the lower felt band being adapted to operate as a discharge conveyor for the treated hides, a moistening and washing unit provided inside the space between the upper chamoising roller and its respective tensioned felt band, and a moistening and washing unit provided inside the space between the lower chamoising roller and its respective tensioned felt band.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, comprising adjustable stops limiting the mutual approach of the chamoising rollers, whereby the nip between the chamoising rollers remains open and the felt bands are relieved from pressure when there is no hide between the chamoising rollers.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each washing unit distributes water to a respective one of the opposite broad surfaces of a hide throughout the entire width thereof, and wherein each moistening unit distributes water to a respective one of the opposite broad surfaces of a hide only at the side edges thereof. 

1. Apparatus for continuously chamoising hides, comprising two chamoising rollers one above the other driven in opposite directions and forming a nip therebetween, means for generating pressure between said rollers, an endless felt band encompassing each respective chamoising roller, a tensioning roller for tensioning each felt band, one of said bands being an upper felt band tensioned in the vertical direction, the other of said bands being a lower felt band tensioned in the horizontal direction, a feeding band conveyor having a surface speed lower than the circumferential speed of the chamoising rollers provided close to the nip of the chamoising rollers, the lower felt band being adapted to operate as a discharge conveyor for the treated hides, a moistening and washing unit provided inside the space between the upper chamoising roller and its respective tensioned felt band, and a moistening and washing unit provided inside the space between the lower chamoising roller and its respective tensioned felt band.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, comprising adjustable stops limiting the mutual approach of the chamoising rollers, whereby the nip between the chamoising rollers remains open and the felt bands are relieved from pressure when there is no hide between the chamoising rollers.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each washing unit distributes water to a respective one of the opposite broad surfaces of a hide throughout the entire width thereof, and wherein each moistening unit distributes water to a respective one of the opposite broad surfaces of a hide only at the side edges thereof. 